Hey everyone, happy new year. I hope everyones having a successful winter so far.

So my Everbearing meyer lemon tree has been in the garage (unheated) since october, unfertilized. We were lucky here on Long Island, NY, and had a warm start. Last week, when I heard that it was suddenly going to reach below 15, with the wind chill, I freaked and got the tree into the house that afternoon. I repotted it, into the same size, but prettier pot, NO STRESS, and brought it in.

I obviously shocked the tree, and now the leaves are drying up and falling off. Can anyone tell me what I can expect. The house is warm, probably 72, and dry(CAC). It is about 10 feet from a vent on the floor, which is facing the opposite direction. I have been misting it daily since bringing it inside the house.

I will buy a humidifier if necessary, but I am new to this, as this is my first citrus tree. Im too used to putting the figs to sleep in the winter, and not having to worry, lol.

I also gave it a tiny shot of liquid fertilizer. 1-5-5 metanaturals oraganic solution. Really small, and watered it. It is not resting in water. I cut down a milk-crate shorter, and have it in a plastic basin.

Can you all please give me some advice on how to correct what I have done, what I can expect while waiting it out.

It is too cold to return it back to the garage, plus, the poor baby doesnt need any more trauma!

Thanks all!!!!!!
ciao,
Anton

What a shame AntonV! Can you lower the temperature in your home? Also, buy a humidifyer! Definately! Keep on misting, although I wouldn't expect your leaves to bounce back, except the few green ones left they are really fried I'm afraid. What type of light is it getting in your home right now (didn't see any windows)?

I'm afraid I don't know what else to do to undo what you've done. Maybe flush out the fertilizer dose you gave it, even though small? However, you don't want it too wet. I don't think it will be taking up too much water to the plant now, except to the fruit. I think the best thing to do is leave it alone and wait; expect almost all the leaves to fall. Hopefully it will stabilize and start putting out new growth when it's ready. As long as the twigs/branches are green, they have potential to put out new growth. Thank goodness we aren't that far from spring.

Very nice fruit on that tree by the way! I really hope it recovers. Good luck!

It definately gets some good indirect sunlight. There are windows on top of the vent on the bottom picture, puls a sky light above the tree. the skylight is probably 40-50 feet high( large foyer)

Well, that sounds good to me, you don't want it in sun after being in the garage so long right now. Hopefully some others can give you more advice on how to proceed if there's anything else you can do, or if I maybe said something that's not the best advice.

Again, good luck.

Any chance you could get a clear plastic bag to put over it-- that will keep the humidity a lot higher.

--
Skeet

"IF" all that was done to the tree, was slip it out of its original container and placed into the same size container, without disturbing the roots, then the damage to the foliage certainly cannot be from the transplanting. The leaves look like they have been frozen -- probably in the garage. When citrus leaves freeze, many times the damage does not show up for several days. I would do nothing at the moment. If the branches stay green, the tree should start to flush new growth in two to six weeks. Don't worry about the fertilizer that you gave the tree. A 1-5-5 formula will do no harm. - Millet

I would tend to agree with Millet. Seeing the white blotches on the leaves and the extent of damage, it looks like freeze damage...

I would also add that I would remove the fruit to avoid stressing the tree more.

thanks all, im starting to feel a little better, lol

Anton, I think I remember when you posted a pic of that huge tree when you bought it last yr. Tons of fruit & what a beaut!!! Looks like it got some frost. Who ever told you to put it in garage gave you some bad advice for your zone. Let us know how it is.

Patty: I hope it is not one of those Wannabe's.

Benny, that's exactly what I'm thinking LOL

Anton, is it possible that the plant was allowed to dry out? I see it is sitting in a pan of water in one picture - what's that for? Unless you are trying to rehydrate the soil and plant, sitting a citrus in water is not good.

I know the general concensus here is that the tree froze, but I am not so sure. Maybe it was some of both. You said you brought it in the house when you first got a report of 15. How cold had it been while the tree was in the garage?

Ned

Ooooh Noooo, hope it's not root rot!

The roots werent left to dry out, and they certainly werent overwatered. I watered it about every 15 days since it started getting chilly. All of my potted plants have the same setup.... About 50 holes drilled in the bottom, 2 inches of pine bark chips, then the potting medium. It only takes what it needs, and I have to monitor the rest.

The garage had probably dropped into the high 20's-low 30's. I knew that it needed to get into the house earlier(probably a month),but I fell behind with my work. I own 2 restaurants here on Long Island, which are very time consuming.

As for the tree sitting in the tub of water, I had just watered it. After I took the picture, I scooped out the excess water from the pan.

I should have mentioned that the tree was absoultely perfect until I brought it in the house. It seemed to have no problem in the garage. Only the next day did I see the leaves staring to curl up.

Thank for the input everyone, and keep it coming!

ciao,
Anton

Anton, if your tree's problem is indeed from a freeze, that occured just prior to the time you restued the tree from the garage, it would not be all that uncommon for the tree to still have a "healthy" look for a day or two. - Millet